October 4, 2010EU and Vietnam initial cooperation agreement
Brussels - European Union and Vietnamese negotiators on Monday inked an agreement to boost cooperation on issues such as human rights and trade, ahead of a major EU-Asia summit.
The EU and Vietnam established diplomatic ties 20 years ago, but their relationship has so far been muted. The EU is now keen to win more allies in Asia, while Vietnam is keen to improve its access to the EU's lucrative market.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and the head of the EU's executive, Jose Manuel Barroso, "agreed that this new agreement would be the framework for the development of an equal, long-term and stable partnership," a statement released in Brussels said.
The so-called EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) lays out the ground rules for future relationships between the two sides, covering areas ranging from democracy and human rights to climate change and trade.
Business flows between the two sides topped 11 billion euros (15 billion dollars) in 2009, but trade is still restricted by a broad range of tariffs and barriers on both sides.
Dung and Barroso therefore agreed to launch talks on a free trade agreement as soon as technical experts on both sides have finished assessing the feasibility of such a move, the statement said.
Finally, the two sides signed an agreement clarifying the legal status of air transport carriers between them, in a move which EU officials hope will lead to a boost in flights to and from Vietnam.
The PCA now has to win the approval of Vietnamese and EU legislators before it can be signed.
Dung and Barroso were both set to attend the biennial Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Brussels later on Monday.
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EU and Vietnam sign off on a deal that will boost air transport
An aviation agreement has been signed today by the European Union and the Vietnamese authorities which will remove nationality restrictions in the bilateral air services agreements between EU Member States and Vietnam. The agreement will allow any EU airline to operate flights between any EU Member State and Vietnam, where a bilateral agreement exists and traffic rights are available.
The "horizontal" agreements will bring several provisions in bilateral air services agreements between 17 Member States and Vietnam in line with European law. Most importantly, it will remove nationality restrictions in bilateral air services agreements between EU Member States and Vietnam.
Air transport is crucial for relations between the EU and Vietnam, linking people, cultures and businesses.
Currently, there are 45 such horizontal agreements with partner countries worldwide. 900 bilateral air services agreements have already been modified by the joint efforts of the European Commission and EU Member States to replace nationality rules with the principle of EU airline designation.
Further information on the EU and international aviation:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air/international_aviation/international_aviation_en.htm
Currently, there are 45 such horizontal agreements with partner countries worldwide. 900 bilateral air services agreements have already been modified by the joint efforts of the European Commission and EU Member States to replace nationality rules with the principle of EU airline designation.
Further information on the EU and international aviation:
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air/international_aviation/international_aviation_en.htm
